Breathing Waves
by TurtleHeart
Summary: Dying on the beach after a storm, Jack Sparrow makes note of the world around him until a figure from the past rescues him and the two form the relationship lost years ago.
1. Part I

Waves crashing upon shore thundered in the distance, a distance that was closer than the normal description of distance. The sound of the constant thundering was soothing. He knew it wasn't a storm. Storms were not as powerful as this sound. A sound wave created while crashing upon shore was the same as the sight a wave produced before crashing. One could hear the formation of the wave, slowly building in the distance. Further and further, the wave formed and louder and louder, the sound it produced until the wave reached its mighty crest. Upon reaching the crest, the building sound altogether disappeared, for there was nothing more glorious and suspenseful than holding off until the water crashed forward, in a graceful half moon. The wave formed a moon, a crescent moon to be exact, as mighty and beautiful and Selena herself. Poseidon himself pulled the water toward earth and upon the heavenly crest crashing back into her waters from where she was born, a thunder erupted like the thunder of the beating drum indicating a death has occurred. However, death of the mighty wave was simply the beginning, for the water left from the wave rushed toward shore in an effort to reach life. Restoring life into the water, Poseidon pulled the droplets back with his hand, into the collection of the oceans of the world.

Storms formed and died, unlike the sea waves that die and live. The ocean itself breathed and the waves were her breaths.

Young Jack Sparrow opened his sore eyes. Waves that crashed upon shore washed to his fingertips, giving life to the lifeless fingers and therefore restoring life to his person. Although the world he saw was sideways, he looked out.

White sea foam swirled between the black rocks buried in the sand upon the shoreline, black rocks that had the appearance of great sea turtles that rested forever. The distance revealed a cycle of mighty waves far in the horizon then smaller as they came ashore, always living and dying. Above, the dark blue, grey clouds lingered, yet conformed in their storm layers. Light flashed within them high above into the heavens, too far from earth to disturb the mortal world.

Further tilting his head, a single break in the clouds revealed the blue sky of true Heaven. The break and blue sky shaped a sparrow, ironically, with wings expanded out toward the reached of the horizon. Within the break, dark clouds painted the feathers and features. A sunset broke trough the head of the sparrow, the orange sun glowing the water and lighting the storm. A once dark black cloud became orange, the brightest cloud in the sky. That single cloud, with the winds blowing in the heavens, became a mighty dragon, barring his teeth at the dark clouds. He consumed the darkness, swallowing the evil so good and light could prevail.

His brown eyes watched the sun falling toward the horizon with the sparrow flying more towards the shore in which he lay motionless. Rays of warmth kissed and bless his face. The screaming pain shooting through his body erased with the rays of light from heaven. Gentle tears fell from his eyes into the sands where the waves breathed to him. Such a sight was never seen before by those eyes, nor could anything have been so beautiful. A storm sent from the very inner core of Hell became as sight only the gods in heaven saw. That was the purpose though. Darkness and death was created so there could be light and life. Without the dark, light would cease to exist and without death, life wouldn't be precious.

Once white sea foam rushing to his fingertips became red, a red only caused by blood. Blinking, Jack's soul returned to earth from its visit to heaven. Red blood. He raised his hand so that he could see if the blood was coming from him. Twisting his hand in the air, there was no puncture in his skin; the blood was not his. Looking back at his "turtles", he focused on them more. The backs of these "turtles" were indeed backs, but not of turtles. Instead, they were backs of human beings, rising with the breathing waters. Arms and legs rose in wave patterns of their own. Their only breath was that of the sea.

Darkness spilled across the beach where these bodies lay.

Jack's eyes sprinted to the sparrow in the sky. The sparrow was no more and neither was the bright sun. Winds shifted the clouds. From the sparrow emerged a skull, a human skull with an open mouth. On earth, the sea winds increased, screaming in the cove. The skull in the sky was screaming. He pushed himself into a half sitting position with his right arm, having discovered he left was embedded with a splinter of wood. Quivering from both fear and cold, his head and eyes moved, examining the shore.

Bodies, positioned in grotesque and brutal manors scatter about the pieces of what remained from the ship. Driftwood and cargo piled along the shoreline resembling bones, hinting at what was to become of the bodies. Red blood stained the sands. Final moans and screams of shrieking pain came through the screaming skull in the sky. Some bodies moved about on the shore, groping the sand, dragging along as if to reach help from somewhere else.

Suddenly, Jack heard himself scream with that pain. He collapsed against the sand as well, screaming toward the heavens. His stomach burned with a fire that would not cease. His eyes slowly reached the source of his excruciating pain. Sparrow blood was added to the mixture of the water by means of pouring from the slash in his belly and the breathing waves. Another splinter was shoved through his calf belonging to his right leg. What should have been brown wood was stained dark red through his leg and the gaping wound black with dripping blood.

Choking suddenly, Jack turned his head the side and coughed. Blood poured from his mouth. He felt the warm, salty liquid rise from his stomach and onto his tongue. He made note of the odd sensation of blood dripping from the corner of his parted lips. Inside, his hear thundered with the waves. Still, the waves in the distance were the most gorgeous sound to his ears. The rich warm brown of his eyes gazed at the remnants of the sun.

Once more, winds in the heavens shifted the clouds. Death's skull moved into the formation of a star, Polaris to be exact. Eight corners, four long and four short became of the sky. Rays of light from heaven shined on the beach. His eyes blurred, the world was becoming darker, yet the rays became brighter and more beautiful. They flickered. The light was calling his name. _Jackie._

Jack felt himself being lifted. There was no pain to torture his soul. He was moving toward the flickering rays of the sky. Of course, the light from Heaven, he was being lifted toward that bright flickering light. A smile widened across his bloody lips. Slowly, his long, slender fingers reached for the beautiful light. His fingers covering the light, the light was no more and neither was his consciousness to the world.


	2. Part II

Warmth pressed against his skin, forming a handprint against his cheek. Embracing the warmth after the cold dark, his face fell into the handprint. Half conscious, a smile instinctively widened across his face. The image of the sparrow in the darkness returned to his mind.

_Jack. Jackie. Wake up. Come on Jack, open your eyes now. I know you are awake. It's all right. You're healed. You're safe. I'm here. Jackie, open your eyes. The nightmare has ended. Open your eyes Jackie boy. Your father is here._

Beyond his closed eyes was light and warmth. He felt the warmth around his sore body. Clouds, he was lying among the clouds the winds were shifting in the sky. Waves were in the distance, further than they were before. The handprint on his cheek caressed his face. Within him, his lungs inhaled deeply though his nostrils. Craving more sweet air, his lips parted. He felt the cool air in his mouth and through the natural tunnels in his body. Deep breaths stirred his mind awake and eyes slowly open.

Beyond his nose, the color of mahogany wood surrounded him. The warm handprint pushed against his cheek with a gentle, light force, turning his head so that his other cheek fell softly into the pillow. Eyes not yet having woken, they saw the image of shadow of a man sitting in a chair, his right arm extended out. Around him glowed with light.

"Am I dead," he managed to softly whisper.

"No," replied the soft voice with his breath.

"Are you an angel?" Jack asked quietly.

"No, I'm your father Jack."

Squeezing his eyes shut, Jack breathed in the cool air. Perhaps the air would further awaken his mind to the world beyond his person. Lime, coconut, lavender, and sea water filled his lungs as he inhaled. Relaxing his eyes, he felt himself fall into the cloud he was laying within the air. Soon, his consciousness recognized nothing more than the feeling of floating and the scents of lavender, lime, coconut and seawater. Of the scents continuing to fill his lungs, coconut was the most prominent. Images and sounds of the sparrow in the sky and Poseidon's breathing was all he knew. He felt he was a wave himself, rolling over the great oceans of the world, unstoppable. He followed the sparrow among the heavens.

On his own two legs, he stood on a rock in the middle of the sea. The dark clouds surrounded him, yet the sparrow remained where he was. He raised his arms out, and lifted his head toward the sky. Rays of warmth kissed his cheek again. Breathing water rushed across his bare feet. Unclothed, he felt nothing was holding back. Nothing held back the sea after all. One was not able to keep a wave upon the shore or control the waters; therefore, no one was able to control him. His eyes shut as a smile widened across his face again. Sea winds and singing birds echoed within his mind. The melody of chords and strings played across the waters. He felt he was home once more, standing on the emerald green Irish cliffs after a storm. The sparrow flew above him then into the horizon as the strings further played. However, he was not aware the sparrow flew past, for his eyes remained shut to the world. Light and melodious strings were all that his consciousness recognized.

Rich brown orbs belonging to his person opened once more with his deep breaths. His eyes focused on a man sitting beside him, a man playing his guitar with closed eyes. This man shared a striking resemblance to himself: chestnut colored hair, dark skin, rectangular face with a gentle curved chin, thin frame, and long, slender fingers.

Jack's eye's were mesmerized by the fingers, the manor they curved and moved with grace along side the neck of the guitar and precisely plucking certain strings upon the instrument. This perhaps was more beautiful than the heavenly sparrow and the sound more melodious and glorious than the waves. Altogether, the beauty ended.

"Jackie," an urgent voice called.

"Don't stop," Jack whispered as he watched the instrument fall to the ground before creating an ungodly clang of chords.

"Jack, look at me. Look at me."

Handprints seized both cheeks. Helpless to move, Jack looked into the eyes of the man. His deep breathing ended and forehead wrinkled with his narrow, confused eyes. He studied the man for several minutes, hardly believing his eyes.

"Father?" he heard his voice question softly.

Edward Teague nodded with a sigh. Warm droplets formed in his eyes with a teary smile. His smile quivered as the droplets fell heavily onto his cheeks and from his face. Such volume within the drops hardly left lines on his face as proof of the moisture.

"Where am I?" wondered Jack, his eyes looking past his father.

"You are in Shipwreck Cove," replied Edward.

"My room?" wondered Jack quietly, recognizing the maps nailed to the walls and the amount of rich red cloth.

"Yes," replied Edward. "Your room."

His lips pressed into Jack's forehead, leaving the mark of a father upon his son's body. Gentle fingers caressed his son's cheek.

Jack beautiful eyes searched around the room for nothing in particular. "How long have I been here?"

"Near of three weeks," replied Edward, his voice quivering once more.

Three weeks prior he was standing upon the great cliffs of the cove watching the storm in the distance become the beauty. There was no more beautiful image than the aftermath of a raging storm. Breaking clouds and heavenly sunlight shining through upon the waters and the world reminded him of light even in darkness. Clouds in the sky formed the sparrow and the rays shined to earth. Following the rays to the earth led to a shipwreck on the island closest to where he stood. Only in tales did the rays of heaven point and bless the earth.

This was different. When Edward's eyes returned to the sparrow in the blue sky, such a feeling overcame him. A sparrow in the sky and rays shinning upon a shipwreck was certainly no coincidence. Shivers and chills overcame his old bones as screams echoed across the sea. Voices across the sea and through his mind advised him to inquire as to any survivors among the wreckage.

Sailing to the wreckage, his instinct of being a father toward a son he loved and knew of thundered in his heart. Something was disturbingly wrong. A father's connection to his son pierced his heart. When he turned toward the light in the sky once more, a sailor's omen of death appeared. Winds changed the beautiful sparrow into the skull. Death surrounded the shoreline where the rays were no longer. Darkness fell upon the little shore. The skull began screaming. Every sailor that followed Edward Teague on his venture silently whispered a prayer, both for the Lord to protect his soul and for the Lord to give save passage to the souls already having left the world as well as a painless passing.

Edward rowed ashore with his lantern: the beacon of life and save passage to those dying upon the shore. He needed not a device to point him to the survivors, most certainly the one calling to him. The white sea foam mixed red with blood and bodies. His lantern's light shone haunting, devilish shadows on the cliff that lay beyond the shoreline. He himself was not simply frightened or took heed in superstitions of the common sailor, yet this was frightening his heart into finding breath difficult.

Screaming and moaning. Hell washed upon this shore. Satan's minions pranced through the suffering souls, watching and laughing in their pain. Through the lanterns he and his men brought, one beautiful sight was to be seen. Caribbean blue eyes slowly approached him, in the form of a limping man.

"William," Edward breathed, rushing to him.

Young, William Turner of only twenty two years, looked upon Edward not with relief, but fear. "Jack and I were the captains."

Altogether, Edward Teague's breathing and heart stopped, not for a moment but for several. His eyes found no more use than gazing at this young man.

A scream of pain caused his person to turn left on his heels and rush. Leaping over bodies like the sparrow in the sky, he flew. If it was possible, the beach never ended, nor did the bodies that lie in the sand. Upon seeing the body of a sixteen year old, the lantern fell from his hands.

His own scream of fear added to death's scream as he dropped to his knees beside his dying son. Jack's broken body lie in the sand with the rest of them. He pulled Jack in his arms. Turning, he nearly knocked into Bailey, his first mate and trusted friend. Bailey's face whitened. A sparrow in the breaking of the storm and its rays of light shining upon the beach was not quite such a tall tale after all.

While flying through the air, his Jack lost consciousness and nearly his life in his father's arms. Immediately, Edward pulled the pieces of wood and carefully stitched his son's broken body. Death's minions were not going to take Jack's soul away from his body as easily as the rest of the men lying on the beach.

Three weeks he waited for Jack to wake. Although Jack woke once before and such a beautiful sight that was to Edward, upon Jack's eyes closing, the young teen slipped into a deep coma. Watching his son barely breathe and live, Edward found his only comfort watching Jack's chest slowly rise and fall like the waves ever building and crashing...breathing. There was no more beautiful sound than his son's breaths. Like the waves that washed upon shore, Jack's breaths were pulled back into his lungs. Jacks lungs were the sea and his breaths the waves. Working as one, neither would separate.

The days passed by upon Jack's face. Sunrise to sunset and all between occurred on the teen's near deathly face.

"What happened?"

Edward blinked his faraway eyes. They focused once more on Jack. "Hm?"

"What happened?" Jack once again asked.

Edward caressed the back of his smooth fingers upon Jack's cheek. "A hurricane. You two were making the attempt to sail here for safety to wait the hurricane through. Underwater shards of rock and winds were present beneath the ship. The ship was destroyed upon them. Everything washed upon shore."

"'You two'?" wondered Jack.

"You and Billy," replied Edward.

"He's all right?" asked Jack quickly, worry spreading across his face.

Edward nodded. "Bruised knee, broken arm, and minor concussion. He doesn't have serious injuries. You, Jackie, have a broken arm and leg as well as a deep abrasion on your side. You won't be doing much but lying here."

Sudden tears filled the sixteen year old's eyes. The brown orbs turned away from his father and squeezed tightly together.

Edward placed his handprint on Jack's face as his breathing increased. "Jack, what is it? Please don't close your eyes again. I can't lose you. Jackie, please tell me. Talk to me son."

His quivering lips parting to inhale quickly, Jack Sparrow's eyes turned upon his father once more. "You rescued me, saved me, healed me, never gave up, kept me alive." He bit his lip. His sobbing increased as his father hushed him while wiping the tears from his face. "You love me."

"Of course I love you Jack, you're my son," replied Edward. He pressed his lips against Jack's cheek. "I know I left you at the church seven years ago. I know I hurt you deeply Jack, but nothing, nothing will harm my son but me. If you are going to die then you will die after I do everything possible to keep you with me. Understand?" Jack nodded with a teary smile. "Come now, dry those tears. Things are going to change between us."

Gently nodding his head, Jack's right hand wiped away the tears on his face. "I want my father in my life."

"Can you forgive me for what I've done to you?" Edward asked.

"As long as I have my father with me, yes," said Jack.

Abrupt droplets fell from Edward's eyes as well. He lowered his head to his chest. A smile appeared on his teary face as he raised his head. "As long as the ocean waves breathe you will have me as your father. We'll begin where we left off."

"Agreed," whispered Jack.

"Now," began Edward as he sat easily on the bed. His fingerprints continued caressing Jackie's cheek. "You must rest. I don't want to lose you."

"All right," said Jack. He turned his face into the pillow.

Edward covered his son with the blanket, keeping his small body warm and protected from all in the world. His soft voice hummed the familiar Irish lullaby Jack grew with. Moments later, his heart told him his Jack Sparrow was simply sleeping. Beneath the blankets and above the soft pillows, Jack softly breathed and Edward looked on.

Above Shipwreck Cove, a simple rainstorm was beginning to set it. The winds in the heavens blew the clouds over the waters. Upon the shore, Poseidon's breathing waves crashed, dying and living. With the setting sun and the rain clouds coming in, the blue heavenly sky became covered. Winds swirled among the clouds.

Young William Turner sat on the cliff watching. In the distance, he heard the waves. Above, the break in the rain clouds outlined a bird. His smiled widened. The bird ironically resembled a sparrow. Watching the ever shifting clouds, they moved into what appeared to be a father and his young son running through the sky.

Sighing, he knew even the wind blowing across the pond in London where his little Will played during the day also had breathing life. Someday soon, the image in the sky would match the image on earth between him and Will, but first the sea had to lead him back home as it had finally led Jack to his father.


End file.
